GAO

United States
General Accounting Office
Washington, D.C. 20548
Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division
B-258115
November 4, 1994
The Honorable Edward J. Markey
Chairman, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance
Committee on Energy and Commerce
House of Representatives

Dear Mr. Chairman:

In response to your request, this report addresses the status of scientific knowledge on the biological effects of the radio-frequency radiation that portable cellular telephones emit and the federal government's regulatory actions to ensure the safety of these telephones. The report contains a recommendation aimed at increasing the potential usefulness to federal agencies of a current industry research initiative.

As agreed with your office, unless you publicly announce its contents earlier, we plan no further distribution of this report until 30 days after the date of this letter. At that time, we will send copies to the commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission, the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and other interested parties. We will also make copies available to others on request.

This report was prepared under the direction of Kenneth M. Mead, Director, Transportation and Telecommunications Issues, who may be reached on (202) 512-2834 if you and your staff have my questions. Major contributors to this report are listed in appendix VI.

Sincerely yours,

Keith 0. Fultz
Assistant Comptroller General